Georgian-Style Gufta

Rinse the rice, cover with water, and parboil for 8–10 minutes until half-cooked; drain and let cool.

In a bowl, combine the ground beef, 80 g of the cooled rice, half of the chopped onion, the egg, half of the fresh cilantro, utskho-suneli, salt, and black pepper. Mix for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky, then shape into small meatballs.

Bring 2 L of water to a boil in a large pot, gently drop in the gufta, and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, skimming off the foam.

Add the diced potatoes and the remaining rice, and cook for 15 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet, and sauté the remaining onion and grated carrot for 5–7 minutes until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes, then transfer the vegetables to the pot.

Continue cooking the soup over low heat for 20–25 minutes, until the potatoes, rice, and gufta are completely tender.

At the end, add the remaining fresh cilantro and fresh basil, season with salt to taste, remove from heat, and let the soup rest, covered, for 10 minutes.